Tractor combine combination



Oct. 7, 1947. E. DUNKER TRACTOR COMBINE COMBINATION Filed Sept. 9. 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATI'D R N EYS Oct. 7, 1947. E. DUNKER TRACTOR COMBINE COMBINATION 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 9', 1945 H! III III HI lll IN VEN TOR.

5 m Zhenfler AITCIRNEYS O t.7,1947. E. DUNKER I 2,428,517

TRACTOR COMBINE COMBINATION Filed Sept. 9, 1945 5 sheets-Sheet s qt -i- Q Q '0 Q N I INVENTOR. Erw z/n 17mm We? ATTORNEY.

Oct. 7, 1947. E, BUNKER 2,428,517

I TRACTOR COMBINE COMBINATION Filed Sept. 9, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 N INVENTOR;

Oct. 7, 1947. E. DUNKER I TRACTOR COMBINE COMBINATION Filed Sept. 9. 1945 5 Sheets- Sheet 5 "H in? INVENTOR. .Erwj/n DunWer ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 7, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRACTOR COMBINE COMBINATION Erwin Dunker, Hebron, Nebr. Application September 9, 1943, Serial No. 501,700

4 Claims. 1

My invention relates to tractor drawn and driven combines, and has among its objects and advantages the provision of an improved arrangement of the two units wherein a novel driving connection is provided between the power takeoff shaft of the tractor and the combine, together with a novel arrangement of the combine with respect to the tractor to facilitate one-man operation of the combination.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a top plan view of the combine and a portion of the tractor;

Figure 2 is a View taken from the position indicated by line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view with a portion of the combine broken away for the purpose of illustration;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view partly broken away of the grain cutting and elevating unit for delivering the cut grain to the thrasher unit;

Figure 6 is a view of a speed control for the cylinder shaft of the thrasherunit;

Figure 7 is a, view of the opposite side of the structure of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a sectional view of the structure of Figures 6 and 7;

Figure 9 i an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 99 of Figure 2;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a grain moving platform;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the power take-01f mechanism; and

Figure 12 is a sectional View of a portion of the structure of Figure 11.

In the embodiment selected for illustration, I make use of a tractor 20 of any suitable conventional type for pulling the combine 22 located closely adjacent the rear end of the tractor. The unit 22 is provided with draw bars 24 having their forward ends pivotally mounted on the axle shafts 26 of the tractor. The cutter unit 28 of the combine is located closely adjacent to one side of the tractor 20.

Cutter unit 28 includes the usual sickle bar 30 and reel structure 32. Means for elevating the cut grain comprises an endless canvas 34 for dumping the grain onto a feeder pan 30 having a dump edge 38 arranged at about an angle of fortyfive degrees to the longitudinal axes of the thrasher unit 40 of the combine and the cutter unit 28.

In Figure 5, the canvas 24 passes over rollers 42 and 44, and a crank 46 is fixedly secured to the roller 44 for pivotal connection with one end of a link 48 having its other end pivotally connected at 50 with a flange 52 secured to the feeder pan 30. This feeder pan is mounted on oscillating links 54 for oscillation through reciprocatory motion of the link 48 imparted thereto through rotation of the roller 44. Grain pouring over the dump edge 38 falls upon an endless feeder drag or canvas 56 passing around rollers 58 and 60, see Figure 3. The thrasher cylinder is illustrated at 60, which cylinder is mounted on a shaft 62. Grain from the feeder drag 56 is delivered into the thrasher unit, the latter being of conventional construction so far as beaters, shakers and grain separation are concerned.

In Figure 1, the canvas 34 is driven through the medium of a bevel gear 54 meshin with a bevel gear 66 rotated through the medium of a chain driven sprocket 63. The reel 32 is driven through the medium of a sprocket 70 connected with a shaft I2 having universal joints I4 interposed therein and connected with a bevel gear 16 meshing with a bevel gear 18 attached to the reel shaft 80. A shaft 82 connects with the gear 66 and is provided with a crank 84 for operating the sickle knife.

The cylinder is driven by a V-belt 86 passing around a grooved wheel 88 keyed to the shaft 62. Belt 86 passes around a grooved wheel 90, see Figure 8, comprising a flange 92 and a flange 94 mounted loosely on a sleeve 96. Sleeve 96 is formed integrally with the flange 92 and rotates freely on a shaft 98. A second flange I00 is formed integrally with the sleeve 96 and coacts with the flange 94 to provide a grooved wheel I02 for coaction with a V-belt I04 passing around a grooved wheel I 06, see Figures 2 and 4. A second grooved wheel I08 is formed integrally with the grooved wheel I06 for connection with a V-belt IIO passing over a grooved wheel II2 which supplies power for the thrasher unit, the cylinder thereof being independently driven through the medium of the belts 86 and I04.

In Figures 2, 4, 11 and 12, the grooved wheels I06 and I08 are fixedly secured to a tube shaft II4 rotatably mounted in a bearing IIO on an upright tubular support H8 having a rod I20 slidable therein, which rod is attached to a frame member I22 on the thrasher unit. Shaft H4 is splined for longitudinal movement on the tractor power take-off shaft I24 having a universal joint I26 interposed therein. To the support H8 is fixedly connected a shaft I28 slidable in a bearing I30 fixed on a yoke I32 pivotally mounted at I34 to two supports I36 fixedly connected with the axle housing I38 of the tractor. The axes I34 are coaxial in line with the universal joint. I26. The combine is pivotal in conformity with irregular earth contours about the axle shafts 26, and the shafts II 4 and I28 are respectively slidable on the power take-off shaft I26 and in the bearing I30 to provide any necessary compensation for shifting of the parts incident to such pivotal motion and bending of the power take-01f shaft at the universal joint I26. The yoke I32 pivots in line with the universal joint so as tofreely aocommodate relative vertical movement between the tractor and the combine as the machinery passes over uneven ground formations.

Means are provided for varying the speed of the cylinder of the thrasher. Such means comprise pinions I40 fixed to the shaft 98 of'FiguresB, '1 and 8. A link I42 has its lower end pivotally mounted on the shaft H4 and its upper end is provided with parallel bars I44 and I46, each provided with parallel bearing supports I48 and I50. The bearing supports I50 are pivotally connected at I52 with the bars I44 and I46. Between the bearing supports I48 and I50 on the bar I46 is positioned a bearing block I54 of rectangular contour and in which one end of the shaft-98 is rotatably journaled. The. bearing block I54 is held in position through tightening of a bolt I56 passing through the bearing supports I48 and I50.

The bearing supports I48 and I50 of the bar I44 are provided with bearin blocks I58 shaped to clamp upon the shaft 98 through tightening of a bolt I60. A crank I62 is provided at one end of the shaft 98 for rotating the pinions I40. Each of the bearing supports I48 is provided with a rack I64 meshing with one of the pinions I40.

Alink I66 has one end pivoted on the cylinder shaft -62-and its other end provided with parallel bars I68 and I10, each provided with bearing supports I12 and I14 corresponding to the bearing supportsl48 and I50. The bearing supports I1-4 are pivotally connected at I16 with their respective bars I68 and I10. Each set oftbearing supports I12 and I14 is provided with a bearing such as that illustrated at I54, and each set is provided with a bolt I18 corresponding to the bolts I56. A rack I80 is also secured to each of the bearing supports ,I12 for respective engagement with the'pinions I40.

Rotation may be imparted to the shaft 98 by unloosem'ng the bearing blocks I58, such'g-rotation imparting relative motion to the crossed linksi42 and, I 66 to increase the distance between the axis of the'shaft 98and the axis of the shaft. I I4 :and to decrease the distance between the-axis of the shaft 98 and the axis of the'cylinder sshaftd z when the shaft 98 is rotated in one direction. R tation of the shaft in the opposite direction de creases thedistancebetween. the: axes of the shafts 98 -and 8 t4 while increasing the distance. between the. axes of th shaftedandthe cylinder shaf Since the flange 94 is floatingl-y mounted on the sleeve 96, the variable tension impartedtothe belts 86 and I04 through rotation of the shaft 98 causes the flange 9'4 toshift axially on thesleeve 96 so. as to correspondingly increase and decrease the relative diameters of the wheels 90andI'02. Thus the Wheel diameters are automatically adjusted to vary the speed of the cylinder..shaft through relativeshiiting of theili'nks-IAZJa-Hd 56.6. A crank I82 is provided at one endofthe. shaft 98to facilitate rotation thereof, 'which c-rank is located in close proximity to the operatorseat'ed on the tractor so that adjustments-imay be. made lay-the operator.

' prising, avd-rive member carrie'd'sby the tractor,

Means are provided for adjusting the belts 86 and I04 with respect to tension. Each of the links I42 and I66 is made up of two sections I84 and I86 arranged in telescopic relationship and splined against relative rotation, a indicated at I88 in Figure 9. Figure 2 illustrates the two links in elevation, each section I84 being threaded at I 90 for coaction with a nut I92 abutting its respective section I86, so that the length of the link may be adjusted through rotation of the nut. V

The thrasher unit 40 is provided with a rearwardly extending frame I94 to which a caster wheel I96 is connected. The two draw bars 24 support "the forward side of the thrasher unit while the caster wheel I96 supports the rear side. The cutterunit 28 is detachable from the thrasher unit alongthe-line I98 of Figures 1 and 3, and the cutter unit is provided with a draw bar 200 which may be connected with a pin 202 on the frame extension I94, see Figure 4. so as to narrow the width of the machinery'while being moved from place to place. The cutter unit is provided with'a supporting Wheel 204 at the grain side of the unit, and an auxiliary wheel 206 :may be attached to the cutter unit when the latteris being towed. The grain bin 208,13 mounted so asto counterbalance the cutter unit or header 28.

A header and thrasher combination having'the tractor relationship illustrated "is relatively easy to maneuver and operates 50 as to cut the field corners square and clean. Theassembly embodies a relatively narrow transport width soas toeliminate many machine shed storage difiiculties, The header follows the contour. of the land to assure better work in extremely roughland-and low cutting conditions. The bunches ":of unthrashed grain laid on the canvas 34 by the .reel .batsare fed headfirst to. the cylinder of the thrasher. The power for operatingthe thrasher unitiis delivered in a straight line fromthe poWertake-ofi shaft by simple and efiicient V-"be'lt drives. The. operator on the tractor is positioned so as-to observe the operation: of the machine from the sick-leto the grain tank. 7 The cylinder speed Imay' be changed from a position on the tractor while' the machine is in operation. :Since ithe'tractor car-a ries a considerable part of the combine :weig ht;

the combine will'have fewer :traction diificulties under muddy conditions.

Without further elaboration; the foregoing-Will so fully'illustrate my invention, that-others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

drivemember, and a second endless drive means 7 connecting said second .drive member with said fourth drive member.

-2. Aya'ria-ble speed drive "for .a'tractorcoma first belt aconneoted withs'aid drive :member,

a second :belt connected with said drive -mem-' ber, coaxial pulleys adjustable for diameter and repectively connected with said first and second belts, a first link having one end mounted for member, a second link having one end mounted for pivotal movement about the axis of said drive member, said first and second links crossing at the axis of said adjustable pulleys, a shaft rotat'ably carried by said first and second links and constituting a support for said adjustable pulleys, pinions fixed to said shaft, and racks on the first and second links respectively meshing with said pinions to impart relative movement to the first and second links through rotation of said shaft and adjust said adjustable pulleys for diameter to vary the speed of the drive member.

3. The invention described in claim 2 wherein said coaxial pulleys comprise a sleeve rotatably mounted on said shaft and having belt-engaging fianges at its ends, and a third flange mounted for axial movement on said sleeve and located between said first-mentioned fianges, said first and second belts being of the V type, and all said flanges being angled for respective engagement with sides of the first and second belts, andsaid third flange shifting axially of REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,952,512 Raney et al Mar. 27, 1934 2,017,755 Hyman Oct. 15, 1935 2,235,122 Shaw Mar, 18, 1941 2,314,259 Welty Mar. 16, 1943 2,253,921 Van Sant Aug. 26, 1941 2,198,471 Benson Apr. 23, 1940 

